Vertically adjustable and knockdown shelf structure



NOV. 10, 1959 S ER 2,912,120

VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE AND KNOCKDOWN SHELF STRUCTURE Filed April 4, 195a 2 INVENTOR. ROBERT E. SANDBERG EILE- VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE AND KNOCKDOWN SHELF STRUCTURE Robert E. Sandberg, North Warren, Pa., assignor to De Luxe Metal Furniture Company, Warren, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 4, 1958, Serial No. 726,528

7 Claims. (Cl. 211-147) This invention relates to a new and improved bracket assembly for metal shelves and more particularly to a compression-type shelf mounting bracket assembly which affords an effective and economical means of fabricating a self-supporting shelf unit in which the metal shelves constitute the sway-bracing of the shelf unit.

The mounting arrangements employed in steel or other metal shelving units are and have been of widely diverse nature. For example, many shelf units are merely bolted together whereas other structural arrangements employ fastening and mounting devices specifically intended to eliminate any necessity for bolts, studs or the like. Some of the bolted shelf units may, to a limited extent, employ the metal shelves themselves as the sway bracing for the unit. Bolted units of this kind, however, frequently require greater assembly time than is desirable and are relatively inflexible with respect to possible shelf-mounting arrangements. Thus, although in many instances the shelves themselves are reinforced and are sufficiently rigid to provide adequate sway bracing for the shelf unit, they have not in actuality been effective in this regard, with the result that it has been necessary to incorporate additional bracing in the shelf unit.

A primary object of the invention, therefore, is a new and improved shelf mounting bracket assembly which permits effective utilization of metal shelves as the bracing members in a shelf unit.

A further object of the invention is a new and improved shelf mounting bracket assembly which requires no bolts or other similar fastening devices.

Another object of the invention is a new and improved shelf mounting bracket assembly of the compression type which afiords a rigid and stable mounting for the shelf yet which may be assembled very rapidly and conveniently.

An additional object of the invention is a new and improved compression-type shelf mounting bracket assembly for a self-bracing metal shelf unit which is simple and economical in construction md provides for maximum flexibility in mounting arrangements.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which, by way of illustration, shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof and what is now considered to be the best mode for applying those principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention.

' Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a shelf unit constructed with bracket assemblies according to one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view, partly in cross-section, of one of the shelf mounting bracket assemblies in mounted position;

' Fig. 3. is a sectional detail view taken along line 33 atcrlt in Fig. 2 and illustrating one of the bracket members of the bracket assembly;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly in cross-section, taken as indicated by line 44 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a further sectional view particularly showing the mounting key of the bracket assembly and is taken approximately as indicated by line 55 in Fig. 4;' and,

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view illustrating mounting of the key and taken approximately along line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

The self-supporting shelf unit 10 illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a plurality of vertical support members 11, 12, i3 and 14 which are substantially similar to each other in construction. Thus, the vertical support member 11 is substantially T-shaped in cross-sectional configuration and includes a base portion 15 from which a mounting portion 16 projects, the mounting portion preferably being located approximately at the center of the base portion. The mounting portion 16 of the vertical support member is provided with a plurality of mounting apertures 17 which are distributed along the length of the vertical support member and which are spaced from each other in each instance by a predetermined mounting distance. In a typical shelf unit, the mounting apertures 17 may be located at one inch intervals throughout the length of the vertical support member 11, although any other desired spacing may be selected. Preferably, the spacing between the mounting apertures is made relatively small in order to provide for the mounting of shelves at virtually any desired height in the shelf unit, as described more fully hereinafter. Each of the vertical support members 1244 is similar in construction to the support member '11 and each is provided with a plurality of mounting apertures located at approximately the same heights as the corresponding apertures 17 in the mounting portion 16 of the support member 11.

The metal shelf unit 10 further includes a plurality of metal shelves 18, 19 and 20. It will be understood that only a portion of the shelving unit is illustrated in Fig. 1 and that the total number of shelves and overall height of the shelving unit may vary to a substantial extent, depending upon the storage requirements of the unit. The mounting of the shelves is in each instance essentially similar to the mounting arrangement for the other shelves; accordingly, the shelf 19 may be considered as typical and the description of the mounting arrangement for this shelf as set forth hereinafter may be considered to be equally applicable to the other shelves in the shelving unit 10. All of the shelves in the unit are preferably of the kind commercially designated as class 2 shelves and having reinforced longitudinal flanges with the longitudinal reinforcement extending at least partially across the end portions of the shelves. Thus, the sheet metal shelf 19 is provided on each of its leading and trailing edges 22 and 23 with a relatively heavy metal bar rein- Moreover, and as described more fully in.

for-cement. connection with Figs. 36, the reinforcing bar in each instance extends partly across the end flanges such as the flange 24,

The shelf 19 is mounted upon the four vertical sup -with a vertical leg 33 (see Figs. 2 and 5) from which project an upper pair of oppositely-directed arms 34 and arms 34 and 35 of the mounting key are spaced from the lower arms 36 and 37 by a distance approximately equal to the spacing between adjacent ones of the mounting apertures 17 in the mounting portion 16 of the vertical support member 11. The arms on the opposite sides of the key are not of equal length; rather, the two arms 35 and 37 on the left hand side of the key as viewed in Fig. 5 are substantially longer than the arms 34 and 36 on the opposite side of the key. The difference in length between the two sets of arms on the opposite sides of the key is approximately equal to the thickness T of the mounting portion 16 of the support member 11. Thus, and as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5, the key 3t? may be mounted in the mounting apertures 17 of the vertical support member 11 with the vertical leg 33 abutting against the support member and with the arms of the key projecting away from the mounting portion 16 of the vertical support member by approximately the same distance on each side thereof.

Preferably, the lower surfaces of the two arms 35 and 37 of the key are provided with notches 38 and 39, respectively, for engaging the mounting portion 16 of the support member 11. These notches 38 and 39 are advantageous with respect to horizontal stability of the bracket assembly 25 and also are of assistance in aligning the bracket assembly upon the vertical support member. The two upper arms 34 and 35 of the mounting key 30, on the other hand, are provided with vertically extending mounting lugs 40 and 41, respectively. The two mounting lugs 49 and 41 are preferably disposed in equally spaced relation in respect to the mounting portion 16 with the vertical support member 11. Moreover, and as explained more fully hereinafter, it is highly desirable that the mounting lugs project upwardly from the two arms 34 and 35.

The brackets 31 and 32 are essentially similar to each other in configuration and are mounted upon the key 30 to afford a means for locking the key in place upon the vertical support member 11. Each of the brackets also provides means for mounting one corner of the metal shelves in relatively rigid. stable position upon the vertical support member.

The bracket 31 is bent, punched or otherwise fabricated from sheet steel and includes a pair of leg portions 45 and 46 which are joined together by a reentrant center portion 47. The center portion 47 is not as deep as the leg portions 45 and 46; consequently, the leg portions 45 and 46 engage the supporting portion -16 of the vertical support member 11 when the bracket is mounted upon the key 30 but the center portion 47 is disposed in spaced relation to the vertical support member. As indicated in Fig. 6, the effective horizontal depth D of the center portion of the bracket 31 is approximately equal to the spacing S between the vertical mounting lug 40 and the center portion 16 of the vertical support member.

The bracket 32, as indicated hereinabove, is essentially similar to the bracket 31 and includes a pair of leg portions 50 and 51 which are joined together by a re-entrant center portion 52. The effective depth D of the center portion 52 of the bracket 32 is approximately equal to the spacing S between the mounting lug 41 and the center portion 16 of the vertical support member 11. Each of the two brackets 31 and 32 is provided with apertures for engaging the arms on one side of the key 30 in order to mount the two brackets upon the key. Thus, the bracket 31 includes a pair of elongated apertures 54 and 55 in the central portion 47 thereof and the bracket 32 is providedwith a corresponding pair of apertures 56 and 57 in its center portion 52. In. the illustrated embodiment the apertures 55 and 57 comprise slots in the lower portions of the brackets, although completely enclosed apertures may be employed if the brackets are made somewhat longer than those illustrated. The arms 34 and 36 of the key 30 extend through the apertures 54 and 55 of the bracket 31 when the bracket is in its assembled position, whereas the arms 35 and 37 of the key extend through the apertures 56 and 57 in the bracket 32 (see Fig. 5). The upper portions 63 and 64 of the brackets 31 and 32, respectively, comprise mounting members for individual metal shelves, as described more fully hereinafter.

Certain of the details of construction of typical metal shelves which may be utilized with the bracket assembly 25 are illustrated in Figs. 2-5 in order to indicate the manner in which the shelf is assembled on the bracket assembly. Thus, and as indicated in these figures, the longitudinal flange 23 of the shelf 19 encompasses a reinforcing bar 6%) which is bent, as most clearly shown in Fig. 4, and extended partially along the edge 24 of the shelf as indicated by reference numeral 65. A relatively small offset 61 is provided in the reinforcing member 66) to provide for clearance with respect to the base portion 15 of the vertical support member 11 and to permit flush mounting of the flange 23 of the shelf with the vertical support member. It is the reinforcing member 69, which is of a kind commonly employed in class 2 shelving, which renders the shelf 19 sufficiently rigid to serve as a sway-brace for the shelf unit 10.

The assembly of the shelf mounting bracket assembly 25 upon the vertical support member 11 and the mounting of the shelf 19 thereon is extremely simple and may be carried out in a minimum time by relatively unskilled personnel. In this respect, the bracket assembly is markedly superior to previously known mounting arrangements exhibiting sufiicient rigidity to permit elimination of support sway-bracing in a practical shelf unit. Thus, once the desired location of the shelf has been ascertained, the assembler inserts the key 30 into two of the mounting holes 17 in the mounting portion 16 of the vertical support member 11 in the position approximately as illustrated in Fig. 5. The key fits rather loosely in the apertures and does not of itself afford a particularly stable mounting arrangement, Indeed, it is highly desirable that the fit be rather loose, since it would otherwise be extremely dilficult or even impossible to mount the key on the vertical support member simply by inserting the two arms 35 and 37 through the desired apertures 17.

After the key 30 has been inserted in the vertical support member, the two bracket members 31 and 32 are mounted on the key. This is accomplished by mounting the bracket 31 upon the two arms 34 and 36 of the key and by similarily mounting the bracket 32 upon the arms 35 and 37 at the opposite side of the key. The. dimensions of the key and the brackets should not be. such that the brackets fit too loosely upon the key. In. fact, it should be necessary, once the brackets are aligned on the arms of the key, that the brackets be forced downwardly to the mounted position illustrated in Fig. 5 This may be conveniently accomplished by a few hammer strokes applied at the top end of each of the two brackets.

The upper portion of the bracket 31 adjacent the mounting portion 16 of the vertical support member 11 is cut away, thereby affording the upwardly extending mounting member 63 which is spaced from the mounting portion 16 of the vertical support member. To mount the shelf '19 upon the bracket 31, therefore, it is only necessary to insert the reinforced flange portion 65 of the shelf into the space between the mounting member 63 and the vertical suport portion 16 of the vertical support member. In order to assure a rigid and stable mounting the dimensions of the mounting member 63 should be made such that it is necesssary to force the flange segment 65 into its mounted position. On the other hand, the fit should not be so tight as tQ-requite excessive hammering, which would mat the finish of the shelf and might even bend it to some extent.v

The assembling of the shelf bracket assembly 256.8

described hereinabo ve, and the mounting of. the shelf 19 thereon, can be carried out in a very short time. The only tool required is a hammer or other instrument for forcing the relatively tightly-fitting parts of the bracket assembly together and for forcing the shelf into mounted position on the bracket 31. Consequently, mounting of the four corners of the shelf 19 upon the vertical support members of the shelf unit may be carried out completely in extremely short time. Indeed, assembly of the entire shelf unit may be accomplished in much shorter time than with my other previously known mounting arrangement which affords a rigid and stable connection and which in effect makes the shelves an integral part of the bracing of the shelf unit.

In many instances, of course, it is desirable to extend the shelves and to erect a multiple-shelf unit rather than a single unit. The bracket assembly 25 is highly effective for this purpose; as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5 the bracket 32 affords a convenient mount for an additional shelf 70 which may be mounted upon the bracket with the reinforced flange portion 71 thereof interposed between the mounting member 64 and the support portion '16 of the vertical support member 1-1. In this manner, any desired number of shelves may be assembled in a single-braced unit in a minimum of time and using only a hammer. The shelf unit, when completed, is rigid and stable, but may be readily and conveniently altered with respect to shelf distribution and spacing.

Hence, while the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification.

I claim:

:1. A shelf-mounting bracket assembly for a self-supporting shelf unit of the kind comprising a plurality of metal shelves each having reinforced longitudinal flanges which extend at least partly across the ends thereof and further comprising a plurality of vertical support members of predetermined thickness each having a plurality of shelf-mounting apertures extending therethrough and spaced from each other by a given mounting distance, said bracket assembly comprising: amounting key engaging one of said vertical support members and including a vertical leg and upper and lower pairs of oppositely directed arms spaced from each other by a distance approximately equal to said mounting distance, the arms on one side of said key being engaged in two of said shelf-mounting apertures and being longer than the arms on the opposite side thereof by a distance at least as great as the thickness of said vertical support member, one pair of said arms having vertically extending mounting lugs located at the ends thereof; and a pair of bracket members each having a pair of apertures therein engaging the arms on one side of said key and each having an effective horizontal depth approximately equal to the spacing between said mounting lugs and said vertical support member to permit stable mounting of said bracket members on said key, each of said bracket members including a mounting member engaging and firmly holding the reinforced flange of one of said shelves and effectively incorporating said shelf in said unit as a sway brace.

2. A shelf-mounting bracket assembly for a shelf-supporting shelf unit of the kind comprising a plurality of metal shelves each having reinforced longitudinal flanges which extend at least partly across the ends thereof and further comprising a plurality of vertical support members of predetermined thickness each having a plurality of shelf-mounting apertures extending therethrough and spaced from each other by a given mounting distance, said bracket assembly comprising: a mounting key engaging one of said vertical support members and including a vertical leg and upper and lower pairs of oppositely directed arms spaced from each other by a distance equal to said mounting distance, the arms on one side of said key being longer than the arms on the opposite side there of by a distance at least as great as the thickness of said vertical support member and having notches in corresponding surfaces thereof engaging in two of said shelfmounting apertures in said support members, one pair of said arms having vertically extending mounting lugs located at the ends thereof in spaced relation to said vertical support member; and a pair of bracket members, each having at least one aperture therein, engaging both arms on one side of said key and each having an effective horizontal depth approximately equal to the spacing between said mounting lugs and said vertical support member to permit stable force fit mounting of said bracket members on said key, each of said braoket members having an upwardly extending mounting member disposed in spaced relation to said vertical support member, said mounting members each engaging and firmly holding the reinforced flange of one of said shelves and effectively incorporating said shelf in said unit as a sway brace.

3. In a self-supporting shelf unit of the kind comprising a plurality of metal shelves each having reinforced longitudinal flanges which extend at least partly across the ends thereof and further comprising a plurality of.

vertical support members of predetermined thickness each having a plurality of shelf-mounting apertures ex tending therethrough and spaced from each other by a given mounting distance, a plurality of compressiontype shelf mounting bracket assemblies each comprising: a mounting key engaging one of said vertical support members and including a vertical leg and upper and lower pairs of oppositely directed arms spaced from each other by a distance approximately equal to said mounting distance, the arms on one side of said key being longer than the arms on the opposite side thereof by a distance at least as large as the thickness of said vertical support member and having notches in the lower surfaces thereof engaging in two of said shelf-mounting apertures in said support member, one pair of said arms having vertically, extending mounting lugs located at the ends thereof in spaced relation to said vertical support member; a pair of bracket members each having a pair of apertures therein engaging the arms on one side of said key and each having an effective horizontal depth approximately equal to the spacing between said mounting lugs and said vertical support member to permit stable mounting of said bracket members on said key, each of said bracket members having an upwardly extending mounting member disposed in spaced relation to said vertical support member, said mounting members each engaging and firmly holding the reinforced flange of one of said shelves and efiectively incorporating said shelf in said unit as a sway brace.

4. A shelf-mounting bracket assembly for a self-supporting shelf unit of the kind comprising a plurality of metal shelves each having reinforced longitudinal flanges which extend at least partly across the ends thereof and further comprising a plurality of vertical support members of predetermined thickness each having a plurality of shelf-mounting apertures extending therethrough and spaced from each other by a given mounting distance, said bracket assembly comprising: a mounting key engaging one of said vertical support members and including a vertical leg and upper and lower pairs of oppositely directed arms spaced from each other by a distance approximately equal to said mounting distance, the arms on one side of said key being engaged in two of said shelf-mounting apertures and being longer than the arms on the opposite side thereof by a distance at least as great as the thickness of said vertical support member, one pair of said arms having vertically extending mounting lugs located at the ends thereof; a pair of bracket members each having side portions joined by a re-entrant center portion having a pair of vertical apertures therein engaging the arms on one side of said key and each having an eifective horizontal thickness at said center portion approximately equal to the spacing between said mounting lugs and said vertical support member to permit stable mounting of said bracket members on said key, each of said bracket members having an upwardly extending mounting member disposed in spaced relation to said vertical support member, said mounting members each engaging and firmly holding the reinforced flange of one of said shelves and efiectively incorporating said shelf in said unit as a sway brace.

5. A shelf-mounting bracket assembly for a shelf unit of the kind comprising a plurality of metal shelves each having reinforced flanges which extend at least partly across the ends thereof and further comprising a plurality of vertical support members of predetermined thickness each having a plurality of shelf-mounting apertures extending therethrough and spaced from each other by a given mounting distance, said bracket assembly comprising: a mounting key member including a vertical leg and upper and lower pairs of oppisitely directed arms, the arms on one side of said key being engaged in two of said mounting apertures in one of said vertical support members to loosely mount said key thereon; and a pair of bracket members each engaging the arms on one side of said key member with said key member clamping said bracket members against said support member to mount said key and bracket members in fixed rigid position on said support member, each of said bracket members including a mounting member which clamps the reinforced flange of one of said shelves in fixed position with respect to said vertical support member.

6. A shelf-mounting bracket assembly for a self-supporting shelf unit of the kind comprising a plurality of metal shelves each having reinforced flanges which extend at least partly across the ends thereof and further comprising a plurality of vertical support members of predetermined thickness each having a plurality of shelfmounting apertures extending therethrough and spaced from each other by a given mounting distance, said bracket assembly comprising: a mounting key member including a vertical leg and upper md lower pairs of oppositely directed arms, the arms on one side of said key being longer than the arms on the opposite side thereof and having notches engaging two of said mounting apertures in one of said vertical support members to loosely mount said key thereon; and a pair of bracket members each engaging the arms on one side of said key member with said key member clamping said bracket members against said support member to mount said key and bracket members in fixed rigid position on said support member, each of said bracket members including a mounting member which clamps the reinforced flange of one of said shelves in fixed position with respect to said vertical support member.

7. In a shelf-mounting bracket assembly for a self-supporting shelf unit of the kind comprising a plurality of metal shelves each having reinforced flanges which extend at least partly across the ends thereof and further comprising a plurality of vertical support members of predetermined thickness each having a plurality of shelfmounting apertures therein spaced from each other by a given mounting distance, and a pair of bracket members, each including a pair of key-receiving apertures and each including a mounting member for clamping the reinforced flange of one of said shelves in fixed position with respect to said vertical support member, a mounting key member comprising: a vertical leg terminating in upper and lower pairs of oppositely directed arms, the arms on one side of said leg being longer than the arms on the opposite side thereof and having notches which, when said key is mounted in said shelf unit, engage two of said mounting apertures in one of said vertical support members to mount the key on said support mem- UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,336,971 Levene Apr. 13, 1920 1,855,242 Jarvis Apr. 26, 1932 2,026,223 Donnelly Dec. 31, 1935 2,261,956 Brownlie Nov. 11, 1941 2,604,213 Bales July 22, 1952 

